Introduction
The accounting field is fascinating. It has various positions in society and organizations leading to upward career mobility. All the business and non-business industries need accounting services for the efficient management of funds.
Career Options
Accounts field mainly deals with funds either in cash or via cheques. One can work as a cashier. Cashiers mostly deal with the receipt disbursement and management of money (AICPA, 2016). They should understand how to balance their books of accounts such that their records are correct.
Audit firms need accountants. An accountant can open one or join an already established review company. Companies hire auditors to check their books and get them ready for presentation to the board of directors and the shareholders. They advise the company on the best policy to employ in accounting for their books (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016). Some organizations have internal auditors to check their accounting work. Audited books by registered external auditors become relevant for the official presentation to the public.
Organizations also need Finance Managers and Directors who have an accounting background. Their work is to supervise the accounts departments and make sure that they provide good reports for decision-making purposes. The Finance Managers can present such reports to important meetings or guide in the presentation process. The Finance Director may be the final person to cross-check the accounting work and submit to the board for strategy making.
Accountants can also work as bank tellers. They receive money from the customers for deposit. They also accept cheques and record them into the system. They help customers collect their withdrawals from the bank. Credit officers and credit managers deal with credit matters (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016).
Finance Manager
Apart from having good grades, a finance manager must have a formal accounting qualification. The finance section has rigorous processes, standards, and commercial best practices. The individual must have the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants updated registration and certificate. Education is as important as the expertise in this field.
The manager should be able to communicate. It involves having strong written and oral communication skills (Taylor, 2013). One should simplify the financial jargon for understanding by the listeners. One also needs financial reporting skills. The manager has to be ready to produce and present accurate financial reports.
The manager must have analytical skills. It involves lateral thinking and the ability to analyze scenarios and make the best conclusions out of the results. In addition to this, problem-solving skills are also essential for a finance manager (AICPA, 2016). The ability is critical to addressing the financial implications of a complicated business structure. He or she should also come up with a personalized solution for the client’s needs. A successful finance manager has a record of solving financial problems in the company or organizations he or she has worked for or can operate for in his or her career.
Today, things are changing. Technology is quickly taking charge of every sector of the economy. The finance manager must have IT skills (Taylor, 2013). Having IT expertise and knowledge of standard accounting programs is an added advantage. It adds value to one’s curriculum vitae. The accounting profession allows individuals to have management skills and an understanding of the commercial market.
The Accounting field gives people from various backgrounds to exercise their skills. The different stages one may have attained in the school environment gives one clear chance to succeed in the field. It is a profession that is critical for the growth of the organization and society.
References
AICPA – The American Institute of CPAs. (2016). Web.
Taylor, S. (2013). U.S. bureau of labor statistics. Nursing Research, 16(1), 92.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2016). Web.